First look: UCLA at BYU

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill (7) fights for a first down during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Phoenix. BYU defeated Arizona 18-16. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BYU quarterback Taysom Hill (7) fights for a first down during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Phoenix. BYU defeated Arizona 18-16. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

(First off, here’s a notebook from yesterday with an update on Eddie Vanderdoes knee, which seems to be OK, according to a tweet he posted Sunday)

UCLA Bruins (1-1) vs. BYU Cougars (1-1)
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 17, 7:15 p.m. PT, Provo, Utah
TV: ESPN2
Radio: AM 570

Scouting report: BYU is coming off a heartbreaking loss to rival Utah during which the game-winning attempt at a two-point conversion failed with 18 seconds left. Two defensive backs, star safety Kai Nacua and freshman cornerback Austin McChesney, were ejected for targeting and could miss the first half of Saturday’s game against UCLA. BYU is appealing the suspensions. Losing Nacua would be a huge blow for the Cougars as the senior already has three interceptions in two games, which is tied for first in the country. On offense, BYU have yet another mobile quarterback in Taysom Hill. Of the five rushing touchdowns surrendered by the Bruins this year, three have been to quarterbacks.

Series history: UCLA leads 8-3 in the all-time series after barely winning last year’s meeting at the Rose Bowl. Josh Rosen threw a career-high three interceptions against BYU last year while getting sacked four times. The Bruins came from behind to win and sealed the victory on a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Nate Starks. Paul Perkins led the way with 219 rushing yards on 26 carriers.

Key players:

QB Taysom Hill, Sr., 42/68, 378 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs, 124 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
— BYU has not excelled in the passing game this year. The team’s 9 yards per completion is ranked 121st in the country among the 128 FBS schools. Hill will be a difficult task for the UCLA defense, however, as the Bruins typically struggle against running quarterbacks.

RB Jamaal Williams, Sr., 220 yards, 41 carries, 0 TDs
— After suffering a knee injury that ended his 2014 season with four games remaining, the running back took a year off for personal reasons in 2015. Williams leads the team in rushing and is averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.

LB Francis Bernard, So., 12 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INTs
— Bernard has flourished in his first year at linebacker. He was BYU’s second-leading rushing last year as a running back and is now stuffing the stat sheet on the defensive side. He is second on the team in tackles and interceptions, as a sack that went for a 16-yard loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.